Salman Khan: The Anatomy of a Superstar

Salman Khan is more than just an actor. The man is a phenomenon. In India, he is a cultural force, with many trying – and failing – to emulate his style.

There are always people swarming around his Mumbai home, with the hope of catching a glimpse of the Bollywood star.

His latest film – “Dabangg 2,” in which he plays cop Chulbul Pandey – is set for release Friday.

In an interview with India Real Time, Mr. Khan spoke of his script-writing ambitions, being directed by his brother and celebrating the heartland of India. Edited excerpts.

The Wall Street Journal: After the success of “Dabangg” (2010), your films have been back-to-back hits. Would you say this is the most exciting – and perhaps best – phase of your career?

Salman Khan: It certainly is. In fact this is the best phase in everybody’s career. The industry is going through a very good phase. And there is an economic reason for it. It is not that it has just happened and nobody could see it coming. The number of screens in the country is increasing by the day and the distributors are tapping into newer markets. People are patronizing the theatres with renewed enthusiasm – there is an entire picnic-like attitude when families go out to see movies, which is a very good sign. They want to see larger-than-life characters on the big screen and not just watch movies on television or on DVDs.

WSJ: The sequel to Dabangg has seen a change in director. Dabangg 2 is directed by your brother, Arbaaz Khan, and not by Abhinav Kashyap. How has it affected brand Dabangg?

Mr. Khan: No, I don’t feel that Dabangg has been affected in any manner because it is not like that Arbaaz is a totally new entity in the film. He was the producer of the first one, and, for him, it was the next logical step to enter direction. We were keen on having Abhinav Kashyap, but he didn’t want to do it. So Arbaaz stepped in and, I must say, I was surprised with the amount of control Arbaaz has shown here. He has done an absolutely fabulous job and has made the sequel exceptionally large in terms of scale.

WSJ: Were you always aware that your brother had directorial ambitions? If so, did you have any apprehensions about his competence?

Mr. Khan: Yes, we always knew that Arbaaz wanted to direct. But I only became aware that he had such a great talent when he actually directed the film. Part of the reason is that Dabangg 2 marks his debut as a director. This will be the first time you will be seeing him in the capacity of a director, and I can assure you that it is something that will take you by surprise. He’s got a great knack for story-telling.

WSJ: As brothers, is it easier or harder to resolve creative conflicts?

Mr. Khan: It is easy. Being brothers, there is a sense of comfort that I cannot find with anybody else. We have grown up together, so both of us understand exactly what the other is thinking. I believe this very thing is of paramount importance especially in a creative field like filmmaking. The intention is very clear: everything is for the betterment of the film on which both of our careers depend. So we did have very healthy, work-related discussions.

WSJ: But was it difficult to separate Arbaaz Khan the brother from Arbaaz Khan the director?

Mr. Khan: No, it wasn’t as complex as you make it sound. It took not more than two minutes for us to realize who was right and who was wrong. We didn’t face any stardom-related conflicts, and this is true not only during filming but in general. It is simple logic: we have to convince each other, keeping the best interests in mind.

WSJ: Do you ever feel that by doing pulpy, formulaic films like a Dabangg, “Ready,” “Bodyguard” or “Ek Tha Tiger” you are fueling mediocrity, the kind of mediocrity that is in conflict with the intellectual class of the country?

Mr. Khan: No, I don’t feel that for a minute. I think it is very difficult to successfully pull off this kind of genre. People do not get these kinds of films in abundance. Cinema should always be in touch with the soil of the country. My films celebrate the heartland of India. Any film is about heroism: the triumph of good over evil. If you look back at my films, you will see that as a recurring theme.

WSJ: One theory is that Salman Khan makes the masses feel like themselves: they wear clothes like yours, they style themselves like you, and they try to talk and walk the way you do. So is it a conscious decision on your part to portray yourself in a way that many people find accessible?

Mr. Khan: Not at all. I have been like this for the longest time. It is just something that defines me, and not something that I try to be in order to generate mass hysteria.

WSJ: You have written a script, “Veer” (2010), which didn’t do well at the box-office. You also wrote another film called “Baaghi”(1990), a long time back. Is script-writing something that you would love to pursue once you quit acting?

Mr. Khan: As of now, there aren’t any plans to quit acting because I’m having too much fun and it is working out extremely well, not only for me but a whole lot of other people involved. But script-writing is something that gives me a lot of pleasure. I love writing my scripts and it is surely something I will do once I’m done acting.

WSJ: How long do you think this kind of stardom can last?

Mr. Khan: As long as I can sustain it. After that, it will be a logical step to step-down. Right now, the producers are making a lot of money and fans are having a great time watching my films. The day the producers aren’t minting money, or the fans are done with me and, most of all, I as a person get bored of acting, I will stop and pursue my other interests. There is a lot to do: painting, writing, direction.

WSJ: Your father, Salim Khan, is a noted scriptwriter. Do you consult him before going about a project?

Mr. Khan: Only if I am very confused do I go to him. And yes, it has never happened that I became more confused after a conversation with him. He always sorts me out.

WSJ: You repeatedly say that if you want to spread a social message, you’d talk about it, maybe say something on Twitter, but not make a film about it. Do you think cinema as a medium cannot bring about social change?

Mr. Khan: No, I don’t believe that cinema is incapable of bringing social change. And it is not even that we ignore it totally. Take the example of Dabangg. The film has a number of scenes that spread out a lot of socially relevant messages, but in a very entertaining way. Like the one where Chulbul talks about the necessity of taking polio drops to a character who has been infected. If you look for such instances, there are plenty, but let us only look at Chulbul Pandey. If you want to follow a character, follow him. He is a very good guy who is crazy about his mother, fond of his girlfriend, takes a strong stand and has shades of Robin Hood as well. So, for me, the idea is to blend social messages with the mainstream because it is the best way to ensure that the message reaches a good number of people. Even if it does so on a sub-conscious level – and it will, because polio or alcoholism is not the primary focus of our story but deliberately added segments – then half the battle is won.

WSJ: You had a painful disorder: trigeminal neuralgia. How badly did it affect your work?

Mr. Khan: It was a nightmare of a pain, and it lasted for a long while. But right now, I am fine as it has been treated. It affected me severely but what can one do? I am an actor and I cannot give excuses to my fans for under-performing. I cannot ask my producers to understand my problem and run a disclaimer under an action-heavy scene claiming: “The actor suffers a painful disorder so bear with the body-double”. Can we do that? People are paying so that you look your best on-screen despite your personal pains and aches. If you cannot manage that, you have no right to be an actor.

WSJ: Will you say that today you are less temperamental as a person and more at peace with yourself?

Mr. Khan: I was never temperamental and never will be temperamental at any point in my life. There are just some things that are wrong that I don’t like. I have and will continue to take stand against things that I feel strongly about. I cannot help it if the media likes to project me in a certain way. I have not changed as a person. I’m the same as you saw me in “Maine Pyaar Kiya” and “Hum Aapke Hai Kaun.” Just that with each passing day, like you, I am growing as a person.

WSJ: Is there a possibility that we may see you portray a dark and disturbing character, or maybe in an Anurag Kashyap film?

Mr. Khan: It is very, very unlikely. I don’t have that thing in me at all. Perhaps if I experience it first-hand, I may be able to do it. But I seriously doubt that would happen.

WSJ: The amount of money that you make per film must be humongous. Do you ever get that feeling that top-stars are overpaid?

Mr. Khan: Not really. I genuinely believe that we get what we deserve. Look at the kind of business our films are doing. Having said that, I believe I deserve twice the amount of money that I am currently paid. The industry loses out on a lot of revenue due to the tickets sold in black, film-piracy and other issues. In fact, the government also loses out. If all of it were taken care of and accounted for, we would be paid much more. You must remember this: if the prices of the stars are going up, prices of other commodities also are also shooting up.

WSJ: Sallu-mania, Salmaniacs, Bhaitards: are you aware that there’s an entire sub-culture that religiously follows everything that Salman Khan does? What do all these terms – and by extension, people – mean to you?

Mr. Khan: I am very much aware of that kind of craze. To put it simply, it feels very good. I honestly don’t know why or when it happened and how all of this came about. I have been here for almost 25 years now, and the fan following has been grown by leaps and bounds. It is very humbling.

WSJ: But the actresses you worked with faded away. Take Madhuri Dixit, who you quite successfully romanced on-screen. She’s now a judge on a reality show, while you are busy promoting your next blockbuster. Is there sexism in the Hindi film industry?

Mr. Khan: Well, not really. Madhuri had a great career. She got married and is doing well for herself. Everybody has their own time. Today, there are a slew of talented and hard-working girls who have come, and the industry has also evolved. The shelf-life of the heroine has improved than what it was at one point in time. Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherji started a few years after me and they are still around. So I don’t feel that the industry has treated anyone badly.

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